Another veteran Michigan State starter is apparently transferring to a different Big Ten school.
This time it’s quarterback Aidan Chiles, who is heading to Northwestern, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Tuesday night. Chiles, a junior and two-year starter for the Spartans, was benched in November amid erratic play.
Chiles posted an 8-12 record as a starter while completing 60.8 percent of his passes for 3,807 yards, 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions and ran for 452 yards and nine scores. The two-time team captain has one season of eligibility remaining and entered the portal after Jonathan Smith was fired and former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald was hired.
Michigan State will host Northwestern this year, although the Big Ten hasn’t announced game dates. The Wildcats hired veteran college and NFL coach Chip Kelly last week as offensive coordinator. Thamel reported Chiles was the program’s top quarterback target in the portal.
Among the more than 40 Michigan State players who have entered the portal in the last week, Chiles would be the latest high-profile switch within the conference. Top receiver Nick Marsh is headed to Indiana, defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren signed with USC and cornerback Aydan West committed to Minnesota.
A former four-star recruit from Southern California, Chiles played as a true freshman for Smith at Oregon State before following him to East Lansing. He was plagued by turnovers during his first season as a starter but did a better job taking care of the ball down the stretch.
Although Chiles played well over the first four games as a junior, his confidence seemed to crater amid shaky play while taking a ton of shots. Smith benched him and turned to Alessio Milivojevic for the final four games. The redshirt freshman who showed promise is set to return and Michigan State on Tuesday picked up a transfer commitment from veteran UCF quarterback Cam Fancher.
